TGHB 18

Chapter – 18

At my energetic reply, Eina made a proud expression.

But it was only for a moment.

“Oh, but I wonder if the novel might be a bit difficult for the Young Lady to read. Should I pick out something thinner, like a fairy tale book?”

A belated worry followed.

‘Ah, can’t ordinary four-year-olds read this?’

After pondering for a moment, I thought of a good excuse.

“Melony, at Abadi’s study, wead, wead, even harder books! Like <The History of Powew> or <Dragon Something Something>!”

“Oh my!”

“Maybe she’s a genius, taking aftew Melony Abadi.”

I deliberately emphasized ‘taking after.’

‘This way, I can emphasize being the Duke’s bloodline too!’

Isn’t this truly killing two birds with one stone?

“…That’s right. Our Young Lady really takes after the, the Duke. Truly… *Sniff*.”

See! It’s effective.

‘But why is she saying that with teary eyes?’

I don’t know. Eina must have dry eye syndrome or something.

From that day on, I began to carefully read the three books.

Although it took quite a while to read them because my four-year-old child’s brain couldn’t process too much information at once.

‘It’s fun…!’

Fortunately, all the books were fun, making reading enjoyable.

Moreover, the parts I had been hoping for were very well covered.

‘The process of becoming father and daughter!’

The themes of the books were all about heroines who had lived difficult lives suddenly becoming a count’s daughter, an emperor’s daughter, or a princess of the demon realm, so there was a lot I could relate to.

Isn’t this totally me?

I decided to emulate the three female protagonists.

And so, presently.

“…What’s with that pious expression, Marshmallow?”

“It’s my vewy faithful expwession.”

“What on earth are you planning to do now.”

At the Duke’s murmur, I puffed out my chest.

It was a confident pose, meant to tell him to just trust me.

Hudson, who had been working at the desk next to the Duke’s, looked over at us with a rather intrigued expression.

‘Good. There’s an audience.’

I’ll show you the fruits of my studies.

I scurried over to the Duke, who was sitting at his desk in the study.

Then, grunting with effort, I began to climb up his leg.

“What kind of novel act is this?”

“My, my, my, I need to sit on your wap…!”

“You want to sit on my lap?”

“Yep!”

The Duke made a puzzled expression but scooped me up in one swift motion.

Whoa.

As he lifted me, my short limbs dangled in the air for a moment.

“You’re incredibly light again today. If the wind blew, you might fly away.”

“…That won’t happen.”

“I don’t know about that. But just in case, on windy days, stay inside your room. Understood?”

“Nuh-uh.”

“What a sulky answer.”

He chuckled lightly and sat me down on his lap.

Oh, a new perspective.

“Satisfied now, Marshmallow?”

“Yep. Vewy satisfied.”

“So, why did you want to sit on my lap?”

At the Duke’s question, my eyes sparkled.

‘Why did I want to sit on his lap?’

If you’re asking, it’s only right to answer!

I looked around and then gestured for him to come closer.

Soon, his impossibly handsome face approached mine with a questioning look.

“What is it.”

“Shh. It’s this-.”

I lowered my voice as much as I could so Hudson wouldn’t hear and whispered.

“I wead that daughtews awe supposed to sit on theiw daddy’s waps. Didn’t you knooow?”

“Oh.”

He let out a short exclamation and nodded slowly.

“I truly had no idea, even in my dreams.”

I knew he wouldn’t know!

I only found out after reading the books too.

In the novels, they all sat on their fathers’ laps.

Feeling proud, I stomped my feet lightly, rested my chin on the desk, and giggled.

Then I opened the book I had brought with me.

“…<The Ice Empire>?”

“Yep. Melony has to study.”

“Aha. So you studied that and came to this conclusion?”

*Nod nod*

“Uh-huh. Angela is my wole model now!”

“Angela must be the protagonist of that book, I assume?”

“Yep. A weally, weally amazing protagonist.”

Angela was a truly incredible protagonist.

At a young age, she became a ‘Contract Imperial Princess,’ a position similar to a hostage-.

At first, she was treated as an ‘outsider,’ but later, she gradually melted the hearts of the people of the Ice Empire.

The cold and ruthless people of the Ice Empire would lose their composure and dote on her the moment they saw Angela.

‘She’s just so amazing.’

Truly, she was my absolute best role model at this moment.

“So, was sitting on the lap also something Angela taught you? Besides sitting on the lap, is there anything else?”

“There is!”

“Hmm. What is it?”

“Gwetting you in the mowning, shawing snacks, dwawing pictures for me in a sketchbook…”

“What about being carried around everywhere you go, is there something like that?”

At the Duke’s offhand remark, I widened my eyes and looked up at him.

“…How did you knooow?”

I had forgotten about that one for a moment.

Is this what they mean by geniuses being different?

“It seems to be a rather informative reference book. Keep working hard on your studies from now on.”

“Yep! Melony will study vewy hawd!”

“Then, shall I give a reward to the child who’s working so hard, as a token of encouragement?”

Reward?

My heart began to flutter a little at that short word.

Having lived a life far removed from rewards, my heart instinctively reacted to the word ‘reward.’

‘A reward, I wonder what it is.’

Could it be the contract?

It’s been about a week since I entered the Ducal residence, so I was thinking it might be about time to write it…

“Wooowaaaah!”

“You’ll dislocate your jaw like that, Marshmallow.”

“Wooowaaah.”

I shouldn’t dislocate my jaw.

I hurriedly closed my gaping mouth.

“Now that I think about it, this must be your first time going out. You’ve been cooped up in Bramschua the whole time.”

“Ah, um, yep! Fiwst time going out!”

That was actually a lie.

There was a time when the streets were my home.

‘But well, it *is* my first time in the Duchy’s territory!’

I hung onto the carriage window, looking outside.

The clattering sound and the quickly changing scenery were new and fascinating.

So this is what the Duchy looks like….

The place I used to live was a rundown area on the outskirts of the capital.

Full of alleys, and all the buildings were old and dilapidated.

But the Pantebe Duchy was different.

‘The roads are sparkling! The buildings are sparkling too!’

The roads were neatly maintained, and many large carriages came and went.

The buildings without sharp corners were colorful. It was like a scene from a painting.

And the most surprising thing was.

‘There seem to be a lot of rich people…!’

It was the attire of the people coming and going in the territory.

Their neat and splendid clothes showed how comfortably the residents of the territory were living.

‘If I had begged in a place like this, I might not have gone hungry.’

Tch.

For a moment, I recalled my begging past and shook my head vigorously.

No. I’m a Young Lady now!

Let’s not think about the beggar days.

I went back to gazing outside with sparkling eyes.

‘At first, I was sulky because the reward was just an outing.’

But once I was outside the mansion, my heart was pounding and I felt incredibly excited.

Maybe this kind of reward isn’t so bad…?!

“We’ve arrived.”

The carriage had stopped in front of a huge building painted entirely in pink.

“Wow, it looks like a dollhouse.”

“Do you like it? Should I buy it for you?”

Buy it for me?

What?

“The dollhouse?”

“No, this.”

The Duke said, pointing his chin toward the building.

I couldn’t help but freeze for a moment.

‘Surely ‘this’ doesn’t mean what I think it means?’

Like the building, the building, or the building.

‘…I heard buildings in a good territory like this are really expensive.’

Gulp.

I swallowed dryly and slowly shook my head.

“I, I don’t need it.”

“Why? You said you liked it.”

“Melony likes the mansion whewe you awe, Daddy! I don’t need anything else!”

“…Oh? Well, in that case, I can’t help it.”

The Duke answered with a grin.

Seeing his very satisfied face, I felt like I had made the right choice.

*Gulp. To be honest, I was a little tempted.*

But right now, it’s not about money, it’s about survival.

‘What if I get kicked out for showing a greedy side and being called presumptuous?’

That would be very, very troublesome.

If I get kicked out now, it’s a sure thing that I’ll be kidnapped and imprisoned.

Just as I was feeling both bitterness and relief at the same time.

“Oh my, oh my, welcomeeeee!”

The door of the pink building swung open and a woman popped out.

She was a woman with frizzy hair, wearing distinctive glasses.